NSW services' views on ACECQA's proposed change to A&R notification period to 1-5 days

Following ACECQA's announcement to change the Assessment & Rating process in 2023, in particular: 

1. “a shift to a shorter notice period of 1-5 days for most assessment and rating visits”; and
2. “Approved providers should ensure an up-to-date QIP (or Self-Assessment Working Document in NSW) is uploaded to the National Quality Agenda IT System portal or via any other jurisdiction specific submission process.”

ACA NSW invited 3,395 long daycare services, 779 preschools, 1,839 out-of-school-hours-care services and 134 family daycare services to complete a survey about their views on the proposed A&R notification change to 1-5 days during 9-20 January 2023.

The above interactive map shows 401 NSW-based early childhood education and care services' responses received, and their views are summarised as follows:

1. Does your service support ACECQA's proposed change to the A&R notification period to 1-5 days:
   • 8.44% support (34 services)
   • 77.92% against (314 services)
   • 13.65% unsure (55 services)
     
     
2. Composition of settings of the services who responded:
   • 84.12% were long daycare (339 services)
   • 0.50% were family daycare (2 services)
   • 7.94% were standalone preschools (32 services)
   • 7.44% were out-of-school-hours-care/before-and-after-school-care services (30 services)
     
     
3. Composition of respondents' quality ratings:
   • 1.25% were Excellent (5 services)
   • 24.00% were Exceeding the NQS (97 services)
   • 68.25% were Meeting the NQS (273 services)
   • 6.50% were Working Towards the NQS (26 services)
     
     
4. The following were the percentage of respondents who supported the respective views:
   • 77.92% - This change will put more pressure on existing early childhood educators/teachers
   • 75.93% - This change will put excessive pressure on existing early childhood educators/teachers
   • 69.23% - This change will mean some/many staff will never be able to schedule approved leave (eg annual leave, holiday, breaks) with confidence
   • 66.50% - This change will push more early childhood educators/teachers to leave the sector
   • 62.03% - This change will mean more work on keeping/uploading our QIP/Self-Assessment Working Document up-to-date all the time
   • 45.16% - This change will make it harder for my service to recruit in the future, especially for the nominated supervisor, the education leader, the early childhood teacher roles
   • 41.19% - This change will reduce my service's interest to seek a higher Quality Rating in the future
   • 33.75% - This change will stop (those) services who import their A-team just for A&Rs
   • 26.55% - Services must be operating at the same Quality Rating at all times
   • 15.14% - This change will ensure the professionalism of all early childhood educators/teachers
   • 11.66% - This change will ensure Quality Ratings are reliable to parents in between A&Rs
   • 10.67% - This change will mean less pressure on educators/teachjers as they will become consistent in their practices
   • 5.96% - This change will increase my service's interest to seek a higher Quality Rating in the future

218 individual free-text comments/responses were also received during the conducted survey.

Based on the respondents' quality ratings, the following were their supported respective views:

1. Respondents (5 services) citing Excellent rating:
   • 100% - This change will put more pressure on existing early childhood educators/teachers
   • 80% - This change will push more early childhood educators/teachers to leave the sector
   • 80% - This change will put excessive pressure on existing early childhood educators/teachers
   • 80% - This change will mean some/many staff will never be able to schedule approved leave (eg annual leave, holiday, breaks) with confidence
   • 80% - This change will make it harder for my service to recruit in the future, especially for the nominated supervisor, the education leader, the early childhood teacher roles
   • 80% - This change will reduce my service's interest to seek a higher Quality Rating in the future
   • 40% - Services must be operating at the same Quality Rating at all times
   • 40% - This change will ensure Quality Ratings are reliable to parents in between A&Rs
   • 60% - This change will mean more work on keeping/uploading our QIP/Self-Assessment Working Document up-to-date all the time
   • 20% - This change will stop (those) services who import their A-team just for A&Rs
   • 20% - This change will ensure the professionalism of all early childhood educators/teachers
   • 20% - This change will increase my service's interest to seek a higher Quality Rating in the future
   • 20% - This change will mean less pressure on educators/teachjers as they will become consistent in their practices
2. Respondents (97 services) citing Exceeding rating:
   • 74.2% - This change will put excessive pressure on existing early childhood educators/teachers
   • 74.2% - This change will put more pressure on existing early childhood educators/teachers
   • 71.1% - This change will mean some/many staff will never be able to schedule approved leave (eg annual leave, holiday, breaks) with confidence
   • 70.1% - This change will mean more work on keeping/uploading our QIP/Self-Assessment Working Document up-to-date all the time
   • 61.9% - This change will push more early childhood educators/teachers to leave the sector
   • 40.2% - This change will stop (those) services who import their A-team just for A&Rs
   • 39.2% - Services must be operating at the same Quality Rating at all times
   • 38.1% - This change will make it harder for my service to recruit in the future, especially for the nominated supervisor, the education leader, the early childhood teacher roles
   • 35.1% - This change will reduce my service's interest to seek a higher Quality Rating in the future
   • 16.5% - This change will ensure Quality Ratings are reliable to parents in between A&Rs
   • 16.5% - This change will ensure the professionalism of all early childhood educators/teachers
   • 9.3% - This change will mean less pressure on educators/teachjers as they will become consistent in their practices
   • 6.2% - This change will increase my service's interest to seek a higher Quality Rating in the future

ACA NSW will share these views of NSW-based early childhood education and care services with:

• the Hon Dr Anne Aly MP, the Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education
• the Hon Sarah Mitchell MLC, the NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning
• Ms Prue Car MP, the NSW Shadow Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning
• ACECQA
• NSW Department of Education

For any further information/clarification, members can contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

UPDATED: 30 JANUARY 2023

PUBLISHED: 21 JANUARY 2023